Cycling through all six. Tap any point to stop.

Measured on six things

HSK vocabulary with free spaced repetition and AI sentence feedback.

Security

HTTPS enforced with SPF and DMARC, and payments run through PayPal. But zero security headers (no HSTS, CSP, frame protection) and no published audits or security page — table stakes only.

Screenshots

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Mandarin Recall

About this app

Mandarin Recall is an HSK vocabulary site for English-speaking learners preparing for the new HSK 3.0 exam. Every word on the 2025 HSK syllabus has characters, pinyin, an English meaning, playable audio and the level it had in HSK 2.0. Open any level list from HSK 1 to 7-9, add the whole level to a review deck in one tap, and study with free spaced-repetition flashcards. No sign-up is required, and progress is saved in the browser. After you recall a word, write your own sentence with it and get instant AI feedback on whether the usage is correct, plus a corrected sentence with pinyin. Lists, flashcards and word pages stay free. Sentence checks use credits: new accounts get one free check, then Basic is $9.99/month for 200 credits or pay-as-you-go packs from $15. Mandarin Recall is not affiliated with or endorsed by Chinese Testing International or the Center for Language Education and Cooperation. HSK is a trademark of its owner.

Key features

1Every 2025 HSK 3.0 word with characters, pinyin, English meaning, audio and its HSK 2.0 level shown side by side.
2Free spaced-repetition flashcards with no sign-up; progress saved in the browser, add a whole level to your deck in one tap.
3AI sentence feedback: verdict, corrected sentence with pinyin, mistake type and a plain-English explanation (1 credit per check).

Target customer profile

Drawn from the product itself, not from a survey.

Demographic

Chinese language learners preparing for HSK 3.0 (especially levels 1–4)

Pain points

Confusing old vs new HSK word lists, lack of free spaced repetition tools

Primary needs

Clear, up-to-date vocabulary lists with audio and efficient review scheduling

Demographic

Students who previously studied for HSK 2.0 and are transitioning to HSK 3.0

Pain points

Uncertainty about which words changed levels, fear of starting over

Primary needs

Side-by-side level mapping to reuse existing knowledge and focus on new words

Demographic

Intermediate to advanced learners (HSK 5–7) seeking sentence practice

Pain points

Lack of immediate, personalized feedback on written Chinese

Primary needs

AI-powered sentence correction that explains mistakes in plain English

Scout Review

Written by AI from measured evidence, scored out of 100.

Mandarin Recall is a focused, fast HSK 3.0 vocabulary site that earns its keep with two things competitors don't do: three-way level mapping (2025 syllabus / GF0025-2021 / HSK 2.0) on every word, and AI sentence feedback that tells you *why* 三个书 should be 三本书. The free, no-signup flashcard flow is genuinely product-led, and the page loads in about a second. The gaps are craft and hardening: generic icons and small gray copy on the design side, and a security posture that stops at HTTPS with no headers or audits. For an early-stage indie tool aimed at HSK 1–4 learners, it's a competent, clearly positioned product with a real reason to exist — just not yet a polished one.

Measure by measure

Usability

No sign-up, level dropdown above a live card, one-tap add-whole-level, and a clear refund FAQ. Onboarding-to-value time is genuinely near zero; the small gray footnote undersells the free/no-signup promise.

Design

Clean, high-contrast hero with a live flashcard that lets you try the product instantly. Undercut by generic document icons, cropped decorative illustrations and small light-gray body copy.

Speed

Lighthouse mobile 98/100 (LCP 1.1s, CLS 0.017, TBT 152ms) and desktop 100/100. Genuinely snappy for a page carrying a live interactive flashcard and audio.

Security

HTTPS enforced with SPF and DMARC, and payments run through PayPal. But zero security headers (no HSTS, CSP, frame protection) and no published audits or security page — table stakes only.

Accessibility

Lighthouse accessibility 99/100 with one failing audit (non-sequential headings). Audio on every word helps non-visual learners; no WCAG statement and English-only, so short of the top of the band.

Growth

Real, dated pain (HSK 3.0 reshuffled levels) with a concrete wedge — three-way level mapping plus AI sentence feedback. Early stage (domain 0.0 years), but the idea has a clear reason to exist.

Improvement areas

Security headers missing (no HSTS, CSP, frame protection, Referrer-Policy) — 4/12 checklist points.
Design craft: identical feature icons, cropped decorative hero illustrations, small light-gray body copy.
Accessibility: heading order fails the Lighthouse audit; no WCAG statement; English-only.

Design & Usability

The homepage does the hardest thing well: it puts a working flashcard above the fold so you're reviewing 愛 before you've read a single marketing sentence. The level dropdown sits right above the card, so pick-a-level and start-reviewing are one visible flow, and the 'Free · No sign-up · Progress saved in your browser' line sets honest expectations. Where it slips is craft: the 'Why Learners Choose' grid reuses one generic document icon four times, the flanking hero illustrations are cropped and disconnected from the content, and the footnote carrying the best news on the page (free, no signup) is set in tiny light gray. The pricing page's refund FAQ is unusually thorough for an indie tool. Solid, not stunning.

Speed & Security

Speed is the standout: Lighthouse mobile 98/100 with LCP 1.1s, CLS 0.017 and TBT 152ms, and a perfect 100 on desktop — impressive for a page running a live interactive card and audio playback. Security is the weak flank. HTTPS is enforced and SPF/DMARC are present, and payments are handled by PayPal through a named corporate seller, which is reassuring for checkout. But the header probe found zero of HSTS, CSP, frame protection, X-Content-Type-Options, Referrer-Policy or Permissions-Policy — 4 of 12 checklist points — and there's no security page, audit or bug bounty. For a site that takes payments and stores review progress in the browser, that's table stakes, not a program.

Accessibility & Growth

Accessibility scores 99/100 on the Lighthouse audit, with a single failing item: heading elements aren't in sequentially-descending order — an easy fix. Audio on every word genuinely helps learners who don't read characters well, but there's no WCAG statement and the site is English-only, so it's strong on automation and thin on declared commitment. Growth is the interesting question. The problem is real and dated: HSK 3.0's 2025 syllabus reshuffled levels, and anyone who prepped for HSK 2.0 is staring at a list that no longer matches their memory. Mandarin Recall's wedge — showing 2025 syllabus, GF0025-2021 and HSK 2.0 levels side by side on every word, plus AI sentence feedback that names the mistake type — is something Anki and Pleco structurally won't build. The limit: it's a vocabulary-and-feedback tool, not a full exam-prep platform, and the domain is brand new, so the wedge has to earn its audience from scratch.

Conclusion

If you're transitioning from HSK 2.0 to 3.0 and your old deck is lying to you about which level a word sits on, this is worth an afternoon. Start free, no signup, and see whether the level mapping saves you the panic of 'do I have to relearn everything?' The AI sentence check is the paid hook and it's a fair one — one free check, then credits. What would move this from good to great: fix the heading order, add the standard security headers, and give the free/no-signup promise the visual weight it deserves instead of hiding it in a footnote.

Suggestions for improvement

Add HSTS, CSP, X-Content-Type-Options, Referrer-Policy and frame protection — the header probe found 4/12 checklist points.
Fix heading order (h1→h2→h3) to clear the single failing Lighthouse accessibility audit.
Replace the four identical document icons in 'Why Learners Choose' with distinct glyphs, and crop the hero illustrations to actually relate to the flashcard.
Promote the 'Free · No sign-up · Progress saved in your browser' line out of tiny gray footnote type — it's the best trust signal on the page.

How we score

Alternatives comparison

Named competitors, point by point. Nobody paid to appear here or to be left out.

	Mandarin Recall	Anki	Pleco	HSK Online
HSK 3.0 (2025 syllabus) word lists with old-to-new level mapping	Yes — every word shows 2025 syllabus, GF0025-2021 and HSK 2.0 levels side by side	No — decks are user-made; no official 3.0 level mapping	Partial — HSK lists exist but not tailored to the 2025 3.0 syllabus mapping	Partial — HSK vocabulary and tests, no detailed old-to-new level mapping
Spaced-repetition flashcards	Yes — free, no sign-up, browser-saved progress	Yes — best-in-class SRS, but requires setup and deck management	Yes — flashcard system, not specifically SRS-tuned for HSK 3.0	Limited — vocabulary and practice tests, not a dedicated SRS deck
AI sentence feedback with corrected sentence and pinyin	Yes — verdict, correction, pinyin, mistake type, plain-English why (credits)	No	No	No
Audio pronunciation on every word	Yes — Azure synthesized speech on every word	Depends on deck — not guaranteed	Yes — native audio available	Yes — audio for vocabulary
No sign-up required to start	Yes — open the page and review; progress in browser	Yes — desktop app, no account needed	Yes — app install, no account	Typically requires account for progress
Pricing model	Free lists/flashcards; sentence checks via credits — $9.99/mo for 200 or packs from $15	Free on desktop; AnkiWeb sync free; iOS app one-time paid	Free core; paid add-on bundles	Freemium with subscription for full access

Anki

A powerful spaced repetition flashcard app where users can create or download HSK decks, but lacks integrated AI sentence feedback and official HSK 3.0 level mapping.

Pleco

A comprehensive Chinese dictionary and flashcard app with HSK word lists, but its flashcard system is not specifically tailored to spaced repetition for the 2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus.

HSK Online

An app offering HSK vocabulary and practice tests, but it may not have the AI sentence checking or the detailed old-to-new level mapping featured in Mandarin Recall.

Comparing options? See Mandarin Recall alternatives, scored side by side

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